Dental instrument



May 1, 1951 Filed May 23, 1946 R. W. PAGE DENTAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1' Richard WPaqa [N VEN TOR.

AT "rm y 9 1951 R. w. PAGE. 2,551,458

DENTAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 23, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hwfiard W Page INVENTOR v BY I z May 1, 719511 RfW. PAGE DENTAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 23, 1946 Rrahard- W Page INVENTOR A o EYS Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dental instruments.

The general object of the invention is to provide improved means for supplying air or water or both to a dental drill.

In my previous application Serial No. 511,073,

filed November 20, 1943, for Dental Apparatus,

now Patent Number 2,420,338, I have disclosed a device for supplying air and water at a drill held in a countra-angle attachment, and selectively spraying air or water, or both, as desired. The present invention is an improvement upon the device of the said application.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved valve means for use in devices of the character indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for rapidly attaching and removing a contra-angle attachment or an air and water nozzle attachment for use with a hand piece, while providing an eflicient fluid seal at the necessary joints and an efiicient valve action.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for fastening the flexible lead terminals to the instrument.

With these and still other objects which will appear in the foregoing full description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and details of construction which will now first be fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and will then be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of a dental drilling instrument comprising a hand piece and contra-angle attachment, in which is incorporated fluid supply mechanism embodying the invention in a preferred form;

Figure 1A is a detail view on an enlarged scale, showing a clip member for holding flexible fluid supply lines;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the invention as applied to a hand piece;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing a part of the mechanism of Figures 1 and 2, with the valve and connection box cover plate removed;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig-.

ure 3;

Figure 6 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, of the device of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is an enlarged longitudinal section of 2 a portion of the valve chest of Figure 3 and is taken on the line 'll of Figure 17 Figure 8 is a view of the contra-angle attachment of Figure 1 with the parts fastened thereto, showing the same removed from the hand piece;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a detail view showing the under side of a valve operating slide member of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a section on the line H-ll of Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a secton on the line I2I2 of Figure 8;

Figures 13 and 14-. are, respectively, a side elevation and a bottom view of the attachment of Figure 2, showing the same removed from the hand piece.

Figures 15 and 16 are, respectively, side and Figures 15A and 16A are views similar to Figures 15 and 16, showing a modified form of connection box;

Figure 17 is a central longitudinal section taken on the line l1--I'| of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-48 of Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a horizontal section taken on the line 'l-'l of Figure 17; and

Figures 20 and 21 are, respectively, a perspective and sectional detail View, on. an enlarged scale, of a valve operating lever of Figure 19.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 8 for the general features of the device, the device is shown in the form of an attachment for use with a conventional handpiece and contra-angle attachment. In its broader aspects, however, the invention is not confined to an attachment as such, but certain of the parts may be built into a hand piece or contra-angle where desired.

In Figure 1 there is shown the terminal portion 2 of the usual jointed engine arm which carries the hand piece 3. A drill or other tool held in the hand piece, or contra-angle attachment therefor, is driven by means of belts passing over pulleys 4 in the usual way. This drive forms no part of the present invention, and hence is omitted from the drawing. As in my previous application, above mentioned, a pair of tubes '1 and 8 are fastened to the contra-angle attachment with their ends close to the base of the drill and are pierced at their ends so as to form nozzles for supplying water and air to the drill. The water tube and air tube 8 are carried along the contra-angle, being fastened thereto as hereinafter described, and enter the valve and connection box 9 where they are connected to the flexible leads I!) and H for supplying water and all.

The details of the contra-angle and parts attached thereto are shown more fully in Figures 8 in 12 inclusive. As there shown, tubes 1 and 8 are soldered or otherwise fastened to a spring clip member l2 which holds the device upon the contra-angle attachment. They may be further fastened by means of a ring l3, which is slid onto the contra-angle and fastened thereto by set screw I4 and which prevents rotary or longitudinal movement relative to the contraangle attachment. The ring |3 may be conveniently connected to the tubes for this purpose by a pin I5 carried by the ring and entering a bore through the adjacent walls of the tubes, as shown. The bore accommodating the pin l5 will, of course, not perforate the wall of either tube. A plate I6, which serves as a support for the slidable valve operatin member I1, is soldered or otherwise fastened to tubes 1 and 8, the member I! having flanges |9 and 26 extending inwardly under the plate l6 so as to hold the valve operating member |"i thereon, but permit longitudinal sliding movement. The member l6 may be formed with cutouts to accommodate the projecting flanges in assembly position. The valve operating member I! preferably has a knurled upper surface for convenient operation by the finger and has afiixed to it the valve operating rod 2| which passes slidably through an aperture in a collar member 22, as indicated. The collar 22 is fastened into the assembly shown by affixing the same to tubes 1 and 8, as by Welding or soldering the tubes in bores therein. The assembly of Figure 8 is slid onto the hand piece so that the ends of the tubes i and 8 and the valve rod 2| enter the valve chest or connection box 9, the contra-angle attachment being held in place upon the hand piece by tightening of the shaft member 23.

The connection box 9 comprises a body portion 25 to which a cover 26 is affixed as by means of the screws shown in Figure 2, and carries rings 21, which will accommodate the hand piece. Rotary movement of the connection box upon the hand piece is permitted, but longitudinal movement is prevented by a ring 28 fastened to the hand piece by means of set screw 29 and entering a recess in the connection box body, as shown in Figures 3, 5 and 17.

Some movement of the connection box relative to the hand piece is desirable when the contra-angle attachment or hand piece attachment is being secured to the hand piece, facilitating engagement of the tube members with the connection box. Further, when the hand piece is used independently of the attachments, as in cleaning the teeth, it should be free for unlimited rotation. With the present arrangement, the hand piece is free to rotate without affecting the connection box or the free portion of the air and water supply lines connected thereto.

Where it is desired to make the connection box removable, the modification of Figures 15A and 16A may be utilized. In this form a spring clip member 33 is provided, carried to the one side on a pivot pin 36 and carrying a short wire or rod 3| at its opposite end, which snaps into grooves 32 formed in extensions from the valve C abuts against the valve member 45.

chest body 25. With this arrangement the valve chest may be conveniently detached from the hand piece when this is desired for any purpose.

The connection box 9, as best shown in Figures 17, 18, 19 and 7, is generally rectangular and its interior is divided in two by a partition wall 35, which has apertures, as shown, for accommodating the air and water supply lines and the valve rod 2| and which forms, together with the end wall 36 of the connection box, a housing for accommodating the fittings by means of which the tubes 1 and 8 are connected to the flexible supply lines l6 and H. As shown best in Figure 19 and in Figure '7, which is an enlargement of a portion thereof, the flexible supply lines I!) and II enter the connection box through apertures in end wall 31 and continue side by side through the apertures in the partition 35 previously referred to. In assembling these flexible supply lines with the connection box, the end of the tube may be pulled through the partition 35 for a considerable distance so that it may be conveniently handled. A small bushing 38 is then inserted into the end of the flexible tube, but spaced therefrom as shown, and a bushing 39 is placed over the end of the tube. The tube may now be drawn back through the connection box so that its end is located within the housing between end wall 36 and partition 35, as shown in the figures. The bushings 38 expand the tubes l0 and H sufficiently so that upon their being drawn back through the connection box their walls will be compressed against the apertures in partition 35, securely holding them against rearward displacement. The ends of the tubes '1 and 8 may be inserted through apertures in alignment with the apertures of the partition wall 35, entering the ends of the flexible tubes Ill and H and compressing their walls against the pressure sustaining bushings 39 to form a substantially perfect fluid seal. Preferably the parts are dimensioned and the bushings are located so that the ends of the flexible supply lines l0 and II are permitted to Wobble slightly in the housing between partition 35 and end wall 36 and may thus align themselves perfectly With the tubes 1 and 8. The ends of the latter are preferably tapered somewhat, as shown, to facilitate the connection.

. This construction provides a highly efficient connection without requiring any close tolerance in the metal parts.

The valve rod 2| similarly passes through apertures in the end wall 36 and partition 35 and This member is shaped as shown in Figures 19 to 21, and is carried on a pivotal shaft 46 which seats in small recesses provided for that purpose in the floor of the connection box and in the under side of the lid 26. The valve member is provided with a bore 41 to accommodate the flexible tube I and with a counterbore 48 for seating a spring 49, which surrounds tube H and is seated against the end wall 31 as shown. At the opposite side of its pivotal axis, member 45 is formed with an arm 56 which compresses tube |6, as indicated, so as to collapse the same and prevent flow of water therethrough. When the valve rod 2| is urged backwardly along the instrument by the finger pressing on operating member it will force the valve member 45 back against the spring pressure, thus relieving the pressure of arm 56 against the flexible tube I0 and permitting flow of water therethrough.

The flexible tubes I0 and I are carried through apertures in a fitting 55 and are prevented from sliding backwardly therethrough by means of expander bushings 55 (Figure 1A). Enough free tubing is left between the fitting 55 and the connection box to permit rotation of the connection box on or with the handpiece, as required.

The handpiece attachment of Figures 2, 13 and 14 is similar to the contra-angle attachment above described. The tubes 97 are fastened together and to a slide supporting plate 69 as in the case of the contra-angle attachment, and are also fastened to spring clip member 79, which serves to secure the device to the hand piece. The slidable plate H is mounted on the member 59 as in the case of the corresponding parts previously described, and the tubes 6'1 and 68 and the valve operating rod 12 extend through a collar plate member '13, which is fastened to the tubes 61 and 68. These parts, which cooperate with the connection box, are, as appears from the figures, the same as in the case of the contra-angle attachment and are related to the connection box in the same way. Their cooperation therewith, accordingly, requires no further description.

In operation, the dentist may employ the con.- tra-angle attachment of Figure 8, together with hand piece, as indicated in Figure 1, or this attachment being removed, he may employ the attachment of Figures 13 and 14 with the hand piece, as indicated in Figure 2. As will be apparent, the connection box 9 may remain upon the hand piece permanently, where an instrument manufactured in the usual way is utilized. Where the line of division between the parts attached to the engine arm and the drilling instrument itself is difierently located, the connection box may be located as required. As pointed out above, in certain types of instruments it ma be desirable to remove this box and this can be pro- Vided for by utilizing the modifications of Figures 15A and 16A.

The valve member for controlling the air supply is located in the air supply line remote from the hand piece, as by the foot-operated valve mechanism of my previous application, above mentioned, or other suitable means.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for supplyin fluid to a dental drill instrument, and in combination, a hand piece, a fluid supply connection box rotatably mounted thereon, and a removable attachment comprising a contra-angle attachment, nozzle means for supplying fluid to a drill held therein and including a tube for connection to a source of fluid, a valve operating member and a slidable valve rod, the said connection box having sockets for receiving the ends of the said tube and said valve rod, means in said connection box for connecting to said tube, and valve means in said connection box for operation by said valve rod to control flow of fluid thereto.

2. In a device for supplying fluid to a dental drill instrument, and in combination, a hand piece, a fluid supply connection box rotatably mounted thereon, and a removable attachment comprising a contra-angle attachment, nozzle means for supplyin air and water to a drill held therein and including tubes for connecting to sources of air and water, a valve operating memher and a slidable valve rod, the said connection box having sockets for receiving the ends of the said tubes and valve rod for supplying air and water to said tubes, and valve means in said connection box for operation by said valve rod to control flow of water to one of said tubes.

3. In a device for supplying fluid to a dental instrument, and in combination, a connection box, a valve member pivotally mounted therein and having an aperture, an air supply line in said box and passing through said aperture, a flexible water supply line in said box positioned for engagement by said valve member to shut on flow therethrough, and means for pivotally moving said valve member to control flow through said water supply line.

4. In a device for supplying fluid to a dental instrument, and in combination, a connection box, a valve member pivotally mounted therein and having an aperture, an air supply line in said box and passing through said aperture, a flexible water supply line in said box positioned for engagement by said valve member to shut off flow therethrough, spring means around said air supply line and engaging said valve member to shut off flow through said water supply line, and means for pivotally moving said valve member against said spring to permit flow through said water supply line.

5. In a device for supplying fluid to a dental instrument, and in combination, a connection box, a valve member pivotally mounted therein and having an aperture, a flexible air supply line in said box and passin through said aperture, a flexible water supply line in said box positioned for engagement by said valve member to shut off flow therethrough, means for pivotally moving said valve member to control flow through said Water supply line, and means for holding the ends of said supply lines for insertion of tube connections therein to form joints therewith.

RICHARD W. PAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 902,942 Craig Nov. 3, 1908 1,009,785 Cunningham et a1. Aug. 15, 1911 1,494,327 Adelman May 20, 1924 2,098,732 Prather Nov. 9, 1937 2,231,393 Mulvany Feb. 11, 1941 

